Community Assistance

Medicare/Medicaid

Medicare
Medicare is for people 65 years of age and older, people with permanent kidney failure, and certain younger disabled people. It is a national health insurance program run by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). The Social Security Administration helps HCFA by enrolling people in Medicare and by collecting the Medicare premiums.

Medicare is divided into two parts: Part A (hospital) insurance; and Part B (medical) insurance. Part A helps pay for care in a hospital, skilled nursing facility, home health, and hospice care. Part A insurance claims are filed with the intermediary for your state or type of facility. Part B helps pay doctor bills, and for outpatient hospital care and other medical services not covered by Part A. Part B insurance claims are filed with the Carrier for your state.

Medicaid
Medicaid is a jointly-funded, Federal-State health insurance program for certain low-income and needy people. It covers approximately 36 million individuals including children, the aged, blind, and/or disabled, and people who are eligible to receive federally assisted income maintenance payments.

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) is Arizona's Medicaid program and the State of Arizona's health care program for persons who do not qualify for Medicaid.

Eligibility is not performed under one roof, but by various agencies, depending on the category. For example, pregnant women, families and children generally enter AHCCCS by way of the Department of Economic Security. State-only categories such as the Medically Needy generally come from the various counties. The blind, aged or disabled who receive Supplemental Security Income enter through the Social Security Administration.

Each eligibility group has its own income and resource criteria.